What do you exhibit?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
(Acts 5:29 (NIV))

Let me fill you in on the back-story of this passage.

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”
At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin–the full assembly of the elders of Israel–and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.
Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
(Acts 5:17-28 (NIV))

The apostles had been arrested and put in jail. They were arrested for preaching about Jesus. An angel opened the doors and let them out, and they went right back to what they knew God wanted them to do. They were again confronted and their response is one that I pray I will have the faith to utter if I am ever in this situation.

“We must obey God rather than men!”

Think about that simple statement. Do we, as the Body of Christ, live up to this faith? They did not back down from their calling just because they had ran into a little trouble. How often do we simply turn tail and retreat because we are confronted with something that takes us outside of our comfort zone?

If we, as the Body of Christ, would follow this simple concept completely, can you imagine . . .

I find it hard to put into words what our world would be like. Perhaps we can simply reflect upon this passage.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV))

Peter and the other apostles did not back down. They obeyed God. They did not run from the torments of man. They exhibited love. They exhibited joy. They exhibited peace and patience. Most of all, they exhibited faithfulness.

What do you exhibit?

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

He must become greater

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

He must become greater; I must become less.
(John 3:30 (NIV))

The American Standard Version translates this passage as “He must increase, but I must decrease,” but no matter how you translate it, the concept is the same. We must seek more of Jesus in our lives and less of us.

To those who are not believers, this sounds like we are willing to give up our individuality. It sounds like we are willing to become mindless followers. It sounds like we are weak minded and not able to make decisions for ourselves.

How do you feel about how the world sees this passage?

Do you agree with this, or do you have a different understanding of what this means to a follower of Jesus Christ?

What traits about Jesus do you love? I know that we are glad to call him Savior, but what about Him makes us want to call Him Lord? What traits do we want to see increased in our lives?

More difficult questions that the unbelieving world does not understand, yet, we need to be able to understand this for ourselves. We need to be able to defend our faith when we are confronted. I know that we are to rely on the Holy Spirit in times like this, but we are also called to be prepared.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
(Ephesians 6:11 (NIV))

I firmly believe that Jesus lived an example of the traits that we should desire to see increase within us. We know them as the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV))

We know our actions and thoughts as well. They are of a sinful nature.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
(Galatians 5:24 (NIV))

If we look upon John 3:30 with this in mind, then it is clearly a matter of self examination. If we follow Jesus, we don’t want to give up our individuality. On the contrary, we want to give up our sinful nature and fill ourselves with what fills Jesus.

Personally, I do not know of anyone who is truly happy in their sin. The drunk does not want to be a drunk. He is trying to wash away something. The same can be said for any sin. The sin is an attempt to fill a void, and it often leaves a scar. If we seek to remove the sin and fill ourselves with Jesus, we are seeking healing. We are seeking peace, and we are seeking the truth.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

In the face of unsound doctrine

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
(2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NIV))

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.”

Does this sound like the world in which we live? People who are comfortable in their sin, not longing to hear the truth, are seeking justification for their actions in any way that they can. It is human nature to want to be accepted. We all want confirmation that what we do is not wrong. We all want to be around others who will affirm us in our beliefs and support us in our chosen paths, even if that path is wrong.

That brings up another interesting issue. What is morally right and what is wrong? What is truth and what is a lie?

Sadly enough, the answers to these two questions, which go hand in hand with each other, have lost any solid answer in my lifetime. What is right and wrong is now subject to individual interpretation and truth is relevant. Does this fit into the words from 2 Timothy? Does this describe our society and enforce what is spoken of when we are told that people will gather around them teachers saying what their ears want to hear?

Human nature is a funny thing. Why do we seek what is not true? Why do we seek to do what is wrong? What is inside of us that makes us turn away from the truth?

In these days that we find ourselves living in, we, as the Body of Christ, must stay the course. We must stay focused, and according to 2 Timothy, we must keep our head, be willing to endure hardship, and tell people the truth whether they long to hear it.

I know that this may sound like I am telling you to be annoying to those who do not wish to hear, but keep in mind, everything is in God’s time. how many times did you hear someone telling you about Jesus before you finally came to the knowledge of God’s saving grace?

But wait!

And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.
(Mark 6:11 (NIV))

I know that this may sound like a contradiction, but think about that for a moment from this perspective. The story in Mark is told of what we are to do when we encounter any location where no one will listen. It does not tell us that there is no hope for those people. It tells us that we are to leave. It does not mean that others will not be able to reach them.

Some will plant. Some will water. Some will harvest.

We are to keep our faith. We are to spread the truth. We are to reach as many as we can with the Gospel. We must remain prepared to preach the Word both in season and out of season, when we are welcomed and when we are despised.

Are you prepared to do what you are called to even in the face of unsound doctrine?

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

Stumbling

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.
(Psalms 119:165 (NIV))

What causes someone to stumble? Is it the fact that they are not watching where they are going? Could it be that they are focused on something besides the path upon which they walk? Is it due to the fact that they wish to be going another direction? Is it due to the fact that the path they walk holds so little interest for them that they are easily distracted? These are all contributors to stumbling. How do you keep from stumbling?

Focus!

That is the single most important aspect of walking a path that does not vary or falter.

You must have a focal point in your life to keep from faltering and stumbling. That focal point must be something that is beyond your immediate grasp, yet it must be something that can be attained one small step at a time.

That is exactly how God calls us to walk with Him through our walk with Jesus Christ. It is a daily walk that has as its immediate goal to help us get through the moment.

Perhaps you have heard the story of the two sets of footprints in the sand. One set can be anybody’s. The other set is Jesus’. During the walk together, the person with Jesus looks back and only sees one set of foot prints. He asks why Jesus left him. Jesus answers by telling him He didn’t leave. He carried him!

Talk about the ability to keep from stumbling! Walk with Jesus and His grace and mercy will carry you when you need it in order to keep you from stumbling.

I cannot think of a better companion to have on this walk that we call life, especially when we are prone to stumble along the way.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

So honor the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshipped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.
(Joshua 24:14-15 (NLT))

In today’s society, we have many choices as to what or whom we will serve. It ranges from self to family to work to a social or political cause. Many people throw themselves one hundred and ten percent behind the choice that they make. This is not necessarily a bad thing, for commitment is good. What is bad is if the choice of what or whom to serve is against the principles of a righteous God. What is even worse is if the chosen thing to serve takes the place of God, or is done without the guidance of God.

God has a calling upon each of our lives. He has a unique purpose for each of us. HE has a place where we are to serve. However, we must be careful in our service, for if we lose sight of the fact that it is God who calls us to that service and through that service we are serving Him, then we do not honor God. We may even begin to take on the characteristics spoke of in Matthew.

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
(Matthew 6:24 (NIV))

Serving God will reap untold rewards in heaven “where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19b (NIV))

If we choose to serve anything but God, we are cheating ourselves, and, of course, we are cheating God. God gave us grace and mercy. Out of an attitude of thankfulness, the least that we should do is make the commitment to serve God.

Whom or what do you serve?

As for me, I stand firmly on the same words written in Joshua – “But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
(Joshua 24:15 (NIV))

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

Strength when you are weary

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV))

This world has a way of bringing everything that can drain you down upon you in an attempt to make you stumble and fall. If you rely solely on yourself, then you have no external strength to call upon to see you through these times. We are only human, and as sinful humanity, we are not capable of lifting ourselves out of these draining times.

But, by the grace of God, we have a place to turn in times of trouble. We have the strength of the Lord if we only place our hope in Him. We have the promises that God has given us throughout the ages.

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
(2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV))

Do you receive strength when you are weary? Do you soar on wings like eagles?

Fully accept the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will receive His strength.

Copyright 1998 – 2011 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

Whom shall I fear?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

The LORD is my light and my salvation–
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life–
of whom shall I be afraid?
(Psalms 27:1 (NIV))

Isn’t it interesting how we can allow things of this world to cause us fear and worry.

Think about that for a moment.

Who created this world and all things in it? Who loves us so much that he sent His only begotten Son to save us from our sins? Who has promised that Jesus is preparing a place for us? Who has promised that He will return to gather us to Him?

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
(Romans 8:31 (NIV))

Why do we still fear things of this world? Why is our faith shaken so easily? Why do we slip into the physical world and allow it to overcome our joy with fear? Why do we take our eyes off of the prize?

What is our prize? Is it physical or is it spiritual and eternal? Paul wrote that he presses on toward the prize – a prize that cannot be seen – but is of far greater worth than anything that is physical.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:14 (NIV))

Why do we still allow ourselves to fear the things of this world when we have a glorious Savior and all of the promises? I will admit that no one is truly certain how they will react when presented with physical danger because of our faith. I pray that each of us will trust in the Lord.

Whom shall I fear?

Copyright 1998 – 2011 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

God never changes!

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
(Psalms 25:6 (NIV))

God never changes!

Too many people see God in the Old Testament and they do not see a continuity of character from there to the New Testament. They see the wrath and the plagues and the wars and do not realize that these are witness to God’s mercy and love. All of the events in the Old Testament that we learn as children are manifestations of God’s grace and mercy. Consider the flood. God loved His creation. He did not want to destroy it. He wanted to cleanse it and bring it closer to Him. He saved Noah and his family through the flood. He saved His creatures as well. Look at the Tower of Babel. Again, God wanted to bring His creation closer to Him. Instead, we turned to our own desires. In an attempt to get us to turn to Him, He confused our languages so that we could no longer rely on ourselves. What about Abraham? God called him to be closer to Him. Abraham trusted God and attempted to do as he was asked. Was it a wrathful God that saved Abraham’s nephew, Lot?

God has been calling people and drawing them to Him ever since He created us. He is merciful. He is loving. He longs for us to come out of our sin and turn to Him.

I am not too sure why people find it so difficult to reconcile Old Testament to New Testament. God is the same. He continually called out to us in the Old Testament. He finally called out to us directly through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. Jesus did not replace God the Father. He did not replace God’s mercy and love. He came to show us how great that mercy and love is.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
(John 1:1-2 (NIV))

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:14 (NIV))

We know that Jesus is part of the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He is part of that great mercy and love, just as God the Father is a part of that great mercy and love. God never changes. His authority is forever. His love is forever.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
(Hebrews 13:8 (NIV))

Copyright 1998 – 2011 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

What is your favorite fruit?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.
(Matthew 12:33 (NIV))

What is your favorite fruit? Is it apples? Perhaps it is pears. Some people love figs, while others love oranges. If you had a tree that gave you your favorite fruit, how would you care for that tree? If the tree began to rot, would the fruit still be as good?

Now, think of your life. What type of fruit does it produce? Each life produces something.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV))

The fruits of the Spirit also provide sweet nourishment. Someone who is loving and filled with joy will make the lives of others transform from the spiritual nourishment that they share. You life is the tree that produces that fruit.

If a tree is diseased, it cannot send the required nourishment and other resources to produce the fruit. The fruit will be small and will be lacking much when compared to fruit produced by a healthy tree. Consequently, how can your life produce healthy fruit if your life is diseased by sin? How can you produce enough love to share if you are callous and cold hearted? How can you produce joy if you are miserable and mean. Just as a tree can be diseased, a life can be diseased. Just as that disease will harm the fruit a tree produces, your disease that you carry within your life will also harm the fruit that you produce.

What makes us different from an actual tree is that we can make a decision to turn to the healing. We can turn to Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. He will give us the grace and mercy that will allow our lives to be healed. He will restore that which the sin has destroyed. He will give us the desire to produce good fruit.

What is your favorite fruit? Is it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control?

Copyright 1998 – 2011 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery

What does your faith allow you to accept?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
(Galatians 3:10-14 (NIV))

There is no one alive who is capable of living each and every day of their life from birth till death exactly as God desires.

Let’s face it, there is not one person alive who can follow detailed instructions letter perfect each and every time something needs to be done. Since we are not capable of following instructions for things that are trivial in comparison, how can we follow detailed instructions every second of our life? The Law is a curse, for it cannot be kept. Unfortunately, it must be kept if we are to stand before God and be given entry into His presence. The Law shows us that we are not capable of achieving this absolute perfection in our actions, and therefore we are condemned to eternal separation from God.

We can rejoice!

We have been given a pardon from our lack of perfection. We have been given grace through the perfection of another. We have been given salvation by God through the gift of His Son, Jesus, who came and lived as a human in a perfect existence before God. Through His perfection, we have been given grace. Through His obedience, we have been given mercy. Through His humiliation, we have been given righteousness, and through His being cursed, we have been given life!

The Law tells us that we are not capable of Godly perfection. Grace tells us that we are made perfect through the sacrifice of another. Faith allows us to accept that grace.

What does your faith allow you to accept?

Copyright 1998 – 2011 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
Subscribe to daily email delivery